"D" the Ranter is Colorado's #1 Multi-sport MLBlogger. The Rant is written from a fan's perspective and you can count on "D" to tell you exactly how it is. Tried and Tested…There's a reason the Rant kicks ass in Colorado.

Results tagged ‘ Eric Decker ’

Ahh the football pre-season…It seems real, but sadly like a lot of things in life… it’s not.

This is our second year as Broncos season ticket holders. I skipped both preseason games last year and Krista took the kids each to a game. This year, Krista took Mylee to the Broncos/Bears game and Hunter and I checked out the Broncos/49ers.

Baseball spring training and Football preseason are two totally different entity’s.

For me, baseball spring training is relaxing, not too crowded and it’s fun to wander around the stadiums and the practice fields exploring. Plus that time of year in Arizona the weather is perfect.

The football pre-season…Not so much.

Our first visit to Dove Valley was this year on my birthday and I found it sadly unimpressive. I must admit, I’ve never attending a football preseason workout before so I had nothing to compare it to.

As we heading inside Dove Valley and I got a good look at the joint, I wasn’t exactly sure what I was expecting. I guess maybe a little more frill?

Bronco fans were packed inside like sardines on the sidelines of what looked like a high school football field but nobody seemed to mind. It was blistering hot with very little shade unless you were part of the media. The media had nice shade tents set up along the end zone.

Here’s a few photos from back on Aug 7.

Brock Osweiler

Champ Baily

It was fun, Mike the Rox Addict was there as well and I’m sure I’ll be back but not until the novelty of having Manning as our quarterback dies down just a bit.

Anyways, back to Sports Authority Field.

I was shocked that I stumbled across free parking and it was only 4 1/2 blocks from the Broncos stadium…Hell Yeah!!

Tailgating was in full swing, but on a toned down level compared to any regular season game. My mission today was to spend some quality time with my boy, watch some football and practice my photo taking skills so I’m ready to rock on Sept 9th vs the Steelers.(Broncos first regular season game).

So lets roll with a picture show.

Dudes feet were real close to those spot lights.

Go Prater!!

Matthew Willis.

Manning looking for Demaryius Thomas.

Complete.

Champ ain’t lett’n go.

Decker just before his TD catch, the football is right next to the horse’s ass. Manning played for less than a quarter and had the Broncos up 17-10.

Caleb Hanie scrambling for the ball.

Broncos led 24-10 at the half. I felt like Manning and most the starters looked pretty good.

That soon changed. Because it’s pre-season I’ll spare you the details and make a long story short.

Final Score

49ers 29…Broncos 24

I’m “D” the Ranter and one thing is for sure, pre-season games may be a joke but the Rant is serious business this Broncos Season.

Krista and I were really amped for this game along with the rest of the Bronco Nation as was witnessed by the enthusiasm of the tailgaters gett’n down in the Broncos parking lot pre-game.

I had no idea what to expect from Tebow this game. We all know he managed to pull out that win in Florida with a lot of prayers and some plain old last second luck. My opinion (which was formed during Kyle Orton’s last game) was I’d rather see Tebow lose and get the experience than see Orton’s unmotivating presence on the field.

By the end of this game that’s exactly what we got to see. Chalk this game up to experience as the inexperience of our new quarterback was painfully obvious.

Have I mentioned that I love photographing the skydivers as they enter Mile High?

These dudes are f’kn nuts.

The horse coming out of the horse.

Tebow doing the stand up version of Tebowing.

The coin toss. If you look close you can see the coin.

Right off the bat the Broncos marched downfield and scored a touchdown that for some reason was not a touchdown in the referee eyes. The play was reviewed and in the end wasn’t changed.

The Broncos settled for a field goal.

Then the game went from bad to worse.

All I could do is watch in disbelief and take pictures. Here you go.

Champ Baily doing what he does best.

Well amost…Johnson broke the tackle and scored.

This game was painful to watch. Even more painful if you paid to watch it.

Final Score..Lions 45 Broncos 10

I haven’t given up on Tebow. Stuff like this helps a fellow build character. But if you listen closely you can hear the rest of America saying “See Denver, you get what you ask for”.

The end of baseball season for me means Nuggets basketball (although this season is a bust), and Broncos Football. If you follow this blog you know it’s not limited to baseball. I’m a Colorado Blogger and with that said I need to be flexible, so I blog about all kinds of events from Judas Priest concerts to my little town of Nederland’s famous “Frozen Dead Guy Days”.

After almost ten years on the Broncos season ticket waiting list our number finally came up and Krista and I were offered the opportunity to purchase season tickets a few months ago. My wife is probably a bit more of a football fan than me(and a lot less of a baseball fan), but I’ve been a solid Broncos fan since 1989.

She supports me hanging out with the Rantics at Coors Field so I didn’t hesitate to get her the Broncos season tickets.

Happy Wife = Happy Life

The plus side is I get to go too🙂 Hunter and Mylee both were able to attend the two home pre-season games and they had a great time.

Our seats are on the fifth level and only thing in front of us is a railing. Cool thing, not too far from our seats is the Broncos fan mascot known as the Broncnater.

Here’s the Broncnator in full effect on the Big Screen.

Here he is in person.

Gotta respect a guy who puts his trademark name on his Jersey🙂

This particular game was my third Broncos game of the season and although it was the Broncos forth loss I felt this game was blog worthy. The game kicked off the with the announcement that the skydivers were jumping out of the plane. Everyone stands there and looks up and waits for the skydivers to enter the stadium.

If you’ve never seen live before this it can get a bit tense at times as these dudes swoop over extremely close to the crowd. Once these guys manuver themselves inside the stadium they are haul’n a-ss.

Nobody took a boot to the head so I’d call this one a perfect landing.

Then there was the flyover…That never gets old…Jets will always be cool.

Ok, I was not on the Tebow bandwagon at the beginning of this game. I like Tebow but I figured he needed more time to learn the Broncos system and mature. But I’m not seeing anything I like from Mr. Orton thus far into the season.

Not long into the game the boo’s started because of Orton’s performance and not long after the Tebow chants started to echo the stadium.

I felt bad for Orton but not only did he put on a lackluster performance he just looked like he wasn’t into it. Body language says a lot. Kyle’s body language said..”Bench Me”

Coach Fox succumbed to the crowd pressure, pulled Orton, put in Tebow and the Broncos were back in the game. Something about Tebow, when he is on the field it feels electric. It’s like the Mile High Magic is back.

Say what you want, I was there and I felt it.

Here are some random game pictures.

This dude is gonna be great.

Gets the two point conversion.

Decker Flying

This catch was one Coach Fox reviewed. He clearly had possession.

Upon further review it was a reception.

Champ Baily doing his thing.

Sends Mathews airborne.

Mathews lands and loses possession of the ball.

Broncos ball.

Rivers attempts a throw to Jackson.

Jackson thinks he has it.

I think at this point Jackson knows he’s lost it.

The Broncos had a chance to win the game with one second left close to the goal but it wasn’t to be.

Broncos lose to the Chargers. The final score was 29-24. I’ve never exited Mile High with a loss and seen the crowd still buzzing with excitement. Is Orton done and the Tebow era begun?

MORE ABOUT “D”

Top Posts & Pages

The following are trademarks or service marks of Major League Baseball entities and may be used only with permission of Major League Baseball Properties, Inc. or the relevant Major League Baseball entity: Major League, Major League Baseball, MLB, the silhouetted batter logo, World Series, National League, American League, Division Series, League Championship Series, All-Star Game, and the names, nicknames, logos, uniform designs, color combinations, and slogans designating the Major League Baseball clubs and entities, and their respective mascots, events and exhibitions.